when do children need their first eye exam?

From the moment of birth, your child is learning to see. They progress from the newborn’s blurry world of light and dark to the school-age child’s sophisticated ability to handle complex vision tasks. Sometimes, though, despite all your efforts, your child may still miss a step in vision development. That is why eyecare beginning as early as 6 months of age is so important. Dr. Byers can identify vision skill areas in need of attention and diagnose vision problems in their early stages, before they have a chance to interfere with your child’s total development or learning ability.

begin a lifetime of healthy vision for your infant today!

Academy of Eye Care is proud to participate in this community service promoted nationally by former President, Jimmy Carter. An InfantSEE® assessment between six and 12 months of age is recommended to determine if an infant is at risk for eye or vision disorders. Since many eye problems arise from conditions that can be identified by an eye doctor in the infant's first year of life, a parent can give an infant a great gift by seeking an InfantSEE® assessment in addition to the wellness evaluation of the eyes that is done by a pediatrician or family practice doctor.

how does aging affect your eyes?

Seniors have unique eye care needs-- the incidence of macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and many other eye problems increase drastically with age. Here at Academy of Eye Care, we specialize in diagnosis and treatment of many of these conditions, helping to keep your eyesight as healthy as possible. We strongly recommend that you have an annual eye health examination. If patients wait until problems present, then treatment is delayed unneccesarily and the prognosis can be adversely affected.

The ability to properly prescribe eyewear for seniors is complicated by many of the diseases and problems such as those mentioned above. For example, cataracts contribute to degraded image quality and added light scatter - which in turn can affect night time vision and cause increased problems in bright sunlight. Macular degeneration can also be challenging to prescribe for because prescriptions often must be modified to enhance reading performance. We will work closely with you to find the best solution for your vision and eye health demands.

We are here to help you see more clearly for an entire lifetime!

special eyes have special needs!

A thorough eye exam is a crucial element in the care and development of a child with special needs. But for a child who might not be able to sit still, who cannot communicate verbally or who has trouble controlling neck muscles, a vision assessment using typical techniques can be difficult or even impossible. We have adapted diagnostic techniques and incorporate innovative treatments for children with a range of abilities. Please remember to explain to our staff your unique needs when scheduling the appointment for your loved one so that we may allow sufficient time for the doctor to be able to assess visual needs and ocular health.